Review: secat – fun at the boardwalk!

secat
fun at the boardwalk!

Self-Released
Street: 12.4
secat = Sweet Valley x WΔll Flowers (Subliminal Romance Part II)

Residing in good ol’ Houston, Texas, elusive writer and astute loop-maker secat welcomes listeners to their “secret lair” by bringing stealthy, sidereal tones in the latest album, fun at the boardwalk! This low-fi, hypnagogic electronic excursion has a strong introduction with “beach girls,” holding an upbeat, repetitive tempo and clever breaks and beat arrangements. The next one, “s-type,” has an ending chorus analogous to UMFANG’s “Complete Your Collection” with its incorporation of an obscure, minimal ebb and flow quality. “orb fantasies” perceives to be surreal, and has its synth pattern escalating up and up before suddenly coming back down into a blurry, seedy hole. This track  became one of my favorites after a handful of slightly inebriated listens.

The feeling of turmoil continues in “moonstone hrt,” as if you’re in one of those cheesy mirror funhouses, slowly finding your way out with your disposition’s reflection constantly following. Although, the album takes a U-turn with the eight-minute tune “refracted analog pulse.” The pulse catches up once again in a dreamy, ecstatic fashion. And now, it finally seems like the fun has begun! The track is surprisingly balanced, reminding me of Leon Vynehall’s RA.644 mix with a repertoire of unconventional noise that alludes to the sense you’re on the tip of a falling iceberg. But you don’t fall; no way. Instead, “episaltlick” begins and makes you experience déjà vu, for it sounds exactly like what you just experienced prior.

The final track, “your bit snake,” brings the topsy-turvy fun at the boardwalk! LP back down to earth. A light, metaphysical ring to your ears that reminds us of the great enjoyment that is music. I am extremely impressed by this album and can’t wait to see what secat comes up with next. If you’re getting those winter blues, definitely check it out on Bandcamp and be healed by its summery, dank heat. –Kassidy Waddell